posted on December 19, 2003 06:33:51 PM new
Etymology: X (symbol for Christ, from the Greek letter chi (X), initial of Christos Christ) + -mas (in Christmas)
Date: 1551
posted on December 19, 2003 07:57:40 PM new
O-o-o-o-h...I do so love this sort of dust-up!!!
Yer right on the money hookem!!
Here's a little more "greek" for the mill:
As another holiday season approaches, I once again think back about how many times I heard one person or another mention that the term "Xmas" is some sort of plot to remove religion from the Christmas holiday season. By their reasoning, the name of Christ has conveniently been "x-ed" out of Christmas.
White it is true that in the 20th century, we use the term "x-ed out" to mean "removed," the "X" in Xmas is not this sort of X, nor was the abbreviation invented by mercenary merchants of our century out to make a buck, nor does substituting the "X" for Christ expunge Jesus from Christmas.
From as far back as the rise in production of Latin parchment manuscripts in Late Antiquity (in the 4th century AD), copyists have found it convenient to abbreviate commonly used words and terms by "contraction" -- that is, by dropping most of the letters out of a word and drawing a line above those which remain to indicate the abbreviation. In a rapidly Christianizing age, copyists of sacred text noted that certain names kept coming up: Iesus Christus, Deus (God), Dominus (Lord), Spiritus Sancti (Holy Spirit), and so forth. The abbreviations devised for these names are termed Nomina Sacra. All the names listed a moment ago were in Latin, with the exception of Christ's -- the Gospels were originally in Greek, and so the abbreviation for Iesus Christus uses Greek letters instead, looking like this: IHC XPC or IHS XPS.
In the first abbreviation, the "I" is the Greek letter iota, the "H" is eta (or "e" in Latin), and the "C" is sigma (or "s" in Latin), thus yielding "IES" in Latin letters (some later translators into vernacular languages did not realize the "H" was really an eta, and thus mistakenly believed the proper spelling of Iesus or Jesus was Jhesus or Ihesus!) In the second part, the "X" is chi (or Ch in Latin letters), the "P" is rho (or R in Latin), and the "C" sigma, as above. The second pair of abbreviations were developed in the later Middle Ages as variants of the originals, and, in fact, may often be spotted on banners on modern churches, especially hanging from the pulpit or lectern -- especially the abbreviation for Jesus. You can also spot this particular abbreviation hanging on the little tag above Christ on crucifixes. You may also spot the Chi-Rho, which was placed by the emperor Constantine on his war standards after his conversion and has since been another common Christian motif; it looks like a letter "P" with the letter "X" superimposed over it.
Thus was born the use of the Greek chi (which looks like a Latin X) as shorthand for Christ. Medieval copyists found it rather convenient in other compound word using Christ, such as Xana for "Christiana" and, inevitably, Xmas for Christmas, an abbreviation which appears by 1100. The only thing which has altered over the years is the dropping of the dash over the "X" which signaled "abbreviation" to the medieval reader, and which differentiated this "X" from the Roman X.
Unfortunately, few modern folk know of the extensive use of abbreviations in medieval texts, and so are understandably confused by them when they encounter them today. I remember staring at the banners in churches before I took Palaeography, trying to figure out what "IHS" stood for; I was once told (incorrectly) that it stood for "In Hoc Signo." They also err in pronouncing Xmas as "Ex-mas." A medieval liturgist encountering this abbreviation would have read it aloud as "Christmas."
So, the next time you see Xmas on the sign at the local tree lot, I hope you will smile, and remember that this abbreviation is a living relic of the Middle Ages.
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them."- John Wayne/The Shootist"(from the novel by Glendon Swarthout)
posted on December 19, 2003 08:06:36 PM new
Hardly.
Even if there is an example of this being used in the olden times, people today use it without knowing the meaning and think of it only as an abbreviation for the Christian celebration. It fits better on the signage and all that.
Sad.
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
posted on December 19, 2003 08:25:12 PM new
About the "-mas" -- I was taught as a child that this part of Christmas stood for the mass that was performed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Anybody corroborate that?
___________________________________
"I have resolved to allow my friends their peculiarities." -- Samuel Johnson
posted on December 19, 2003 08:46:08 PM new
I like that sort of full bore attitude Peklik...but the question was and the questions remains etymological...the construct has a precise historical meaning...and it wasn't the invention of space-starved craven merchants seeking a little extra billboard room for blue light specials...as some had suggested...contemporary usage not withstanding.
That's the trouble with "olden" times, isn't it...history, the facts...they'll kinda make a muck for clear thinkers like yourself.
But, perk up, yer side's winning!!
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them."- John Wayne/The Shootist"(from the novel by Glendon Swarthout)
posted on December 19, 2003 10:46:02 PM new
Excellent Pandorasbox!
Peiklk free your mind!
Happy holidays!
Nice monkey...
~~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~
All the monkeys aren't in the zoo,
Every day you meet quite a few,
So you see it's all up to you.
You can be better than you are,
You could be swingin' on a star
